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Airlines

Qatar Airways Chief Slams Airbus, Orders Boeing Aircraft Instead

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Qatar Airways, a major airline and customer of European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, has hit out at the company for its inability to meet the carrier's needs, paving the way for a significant order of Boeing aircraft. In a joint press conference with Boeing officials, the head of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker, criticized Airbus for being "still learning" to make planes and announced that the airline would abandon its fleet of Airbus A330s in favor of Boeing 767s. Al Baker stated that the carrier would start negotiations with Boeing for a large number of 767s, citing the lack of commitment from Airbus to convert the A330s or provide a solution for their disposal.

Key Takeaways:

  • Qatar Airways has reached an "impasse" with Airbus and hopes to conclude a deal by the end of the day.
  • The airline's head, Akbar Al Baker, described Airbus as "still learning" to make airplanes.
  • Qatar Airways will abandon its fleet of Airbus A330s and order a large number of Boeing 767s instead.
  • The airline will place a new order with Boeing for a "large number" of 767s to replace its A330s.
  • Qatar Airways has a strong backlog of orders for some 140 airliners and is the largest single customer of Airbus's A350 medium-size plane with orders for 80 units.
  • Airbus has secured a deal to sell 50 A320neo aircraft to ALAFCO, a Kuwaiti leasing firm, valued at $4.6 billion.
  • Aircraft manufacturers expect the Middle East market to continue booming over the next two decades, with demand for 1,921 new passenger and freighter planes between 2011 and 2030.

Statistics:

  • Qatar Airways has a fleet of 100 planes, including Airbus A320s, A330s, and Boeing 777s.
  • The airline has a backlog of orders for some 140 airliners.
  • Airbus expects the Middle East market to require 1,921 new passenger and freighter planes between 2011 and 2030, valued at $347.4 billion.
  • Boeing projects a Middle East market of $450 billion with demand for 2,520 aircraft by 2030.
  • Qatar Airways is set to place a new order with Boeing for a "large number" of 767s.

Sources:

  • Muscat Press and Publishing House SAOC 2011
  • Syndicate.info
  • Albawaba.com

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